Engineering Capacity Digital Issue March 2020

FOR MANUFACTURERS ABOUT SUBCONTRACTORS

March 2020

INDUSTRY NEWS | FORMING & FABRICATION | AEROSPACE | MACH 2020

INDUSTRY NEWS: New tube signs go up

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FOR BUYERS OF CONTRACT MANUFACTURING SERVICES Visit our online edition for breaking news, jobs, events, features and searchable directory. www.engineeringcapacity.com Editor: Andy Sandford editor@engineeringcapacity.com Sales Manager: Arfan Qureshi sales@engineeringcapacity.com Tel: 0207 241 4627 Sales Executive: Kirsi Lintula kirsi@engineeringcapacity.com Tel: 07768 566 437 Graphic Design: Dave Blake blakey@djbdesign.co.uk Printer: Holbrooks Printers Limited Norway Road, Portsmouth PO3 5HX Engineering Capacity is published six times a year in January, March, May, July, September and November SUBSCRIPTIONS Engineering Capacity is available free of charge to UK buyers and suppliers of subcontract manufacturing services.

For non-qualifying readers, annual subscription rates are as follows for 6 issues posted to addresses in: UK £60.00; Europe £80; Rest of the World £100 You can request your copy and sign up to our free weekly email newsletter on our website or contact us via subscriptions@engineeringcapacity.com www.engineeringcapacity.com Tel: O1737 270 648 Published by: Engineering Capacity Ltd Abbey House, 25 Clarendon Road Redhill, Surrey, RH1 1QZ United Kingdom Registered in England company no. 10567217 ISSN 0306-0179 COMING UP IN OUR MAY 2020 ISSUE Laser & Waterjet cutting, Medical, Moulding, Additive Manufacturing, Machined Components, Subcon Preview, Automechanika Preview Please send editorial for consideration to editor@engineeringcapacity.com There is no charge or cost involved with having your editorial included in the magazine or on our website

Editor’s View The phrase ‘may you live in interesting times’ is often quoted as an ancient Chinese curse. Well, these are certainly interesting times for manufacturing. On one hand we have the imperative to move to smarter, more automated and more connected manufacturing processes. On the other, we have a set of situations that are calling into question the advisability and viability of long and complex supply chains.

It seems to me that the Government wants this country to be a high-wage, innovative and technology-led economy. A lot of the narrative coming from Westminster suggests that the goal is a strong and independent Britain making its own way in the world and not engaging in a race to the bottom on environmental, social and employment legislation.

Which brings us to supply chains. Three separate and quite different pressures are currently bearing on our conventional approach to supply chains: Brexit, Zero Net Carbon targets and Covid-19.

To deal with the last one first. The effect of the coronavirus on the global economy has been a salutary lesson in how fragile the world we think of as ‘normal’ actually is. When China shuts down, the world’s biggest supplier and market is suddenly taken off the table. A good argument for reshoring maybe – and there is already anecdotal evidence that this is happening.

And then there is the question of the post-Brexit trade agreement with the EU, if indeed there is one. An automotive component may cross the channel numerous times before it reaches its final destination. Any border friction would be multiplied with each crossing. Another argument perhaps for more local supply chains.

And finally, if we are aiming for sustainability, does it really make sense to ship parts back and forward around the world, consuming resources and creating CO2?

Andy Sandford, Editor

Member of the Engineering Industries Association

MARCH 2020

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Contents March 2020

21 FORMING & FABRICATION

News

Features

06 Transit castings to double 06 MJ Allen increases capacity to

12 Aerospace & Defence 06 Aerospace machining cell NW SMEs get smarter

meet new demand from Ford

16 Turned Parts 06 Turning to aerospace

07 Southern show smashes record 06 Over 9,000 visitors attended

Right ingredients for plastic parts

the event at Farnborough

08 MAN reaches ÂŁ75m milestone 06 Collaboration pays of for

17 TURNED PARTS

19 Forming & Fabrication 06 Covering all the bending angles Lightweight forming leadership

25 Heat & Surface Treatments 06 Galvanisers dip into their pockets

Midlands companies

09 Clean packaging wrapped up 06 TEQ:Plastique puts in new

27 MACH 2020 Preview

cleanroom facilities

31 BTMA Directory 10 Wirecut adds precision 06 New EDM investment at Duckworth & Kent

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27 MACH PREVIEW MARCH 2020

Engineering Capacity | INDUSTRY NEWS

First signs for new Tube station A family-owned company based on the Isle of Wight has just supplied the first roundel signs for the new Battersea Power Station Tube station.

The new roundels, among the most recognised and imitated logos in the world, are being manufactured at family-owned AJ Wells & Sons Ltd on the Isle of Wight where London transport signage has been produced for generations. They are the first roundels to be manufactured for a new Northern Line station since the opening of the extension to Morden in 1926.

The new station is on the new Northern Line Extension to the London Underground and will open, along with another new station at Nine Elms in autumn 2021.

In total, 113 roundels are being manufactured for installation at the two new Northern Line Extension stations, which are scheduled to open in autumn 2021 Hannover Messe 2020 has been moved back to the week of 13 to 17 July in response to global developments related to the Coronavirus.

Organiser, Deutsche Messe, made the decision in close cooperation with the Hannover Region Health Authority, the Messe Exhibitors' Council and the partner associations VDMA (German Engineering Federation) and ZVEI (German Electrical and Electronic

MARCH 2020

– 62 for Battersea Power Station and 51 for Nine Elms.

Not yet visible to the public, the arrival of the new roundels signifies an important milestone in the construction of the Northern Line Extension, the first major Tube line extension since the Jubilee line in the late 1990s.

The extension will connect Kennington to Battersea Power Station, via Nine Elms, bringing Battersea and surrounding areas

to within 15 minutes of the City and the West End. A J Wells is a family-run manufacturer of signage and architectural cladding, specialising in vitreous enamel. It also has laser profiling and precision fabrication capacity as well as offering framing, electrical and design services. This in-house capability allows it to see a project through from concept to completion.

8 ajwells.com

Hannover Messe postponed Manufacturers' Association).

The Hannover Region Health Authority had strongly recommended that Deutsche Messe follow the advice of the Robert Koch Institute, which includes comprehensive measures to safeguard health when hosting major events. For instance, fever measuring stations at all entrances and not allowing people from risk areas or those who have

had contact with people from risk areas to enter the exhibition centre. This would have entailed a comprehensive evaluation of all trade fair participants – from exhibitors and visitors to service providers, exhibit builders and catering companies.

Deutsche Messe is unable to implement the proposed measures.

8 Messe.de

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INDUSTRY NEWS | Engineering Capacity

Transit castings to double Production of cast and machined Ford Transit transmission components at MJ Allen Group is set to double by Spring this year.

A substantial proportion of MJ Allen Group's more than £30 million annual turnover comes from gravity die casting and machining the aluminium main case, intermediate and cover for a modified transmission that goes into the all-wheel-drive (AWD) version of the Ford Transit van.

Currently 100 sets per week are delivered to Getrag Ford Transmissions in Halewood for assembly and export to a vehicle manufacturing plant in Turkey, but that number is predicted to double by the spring of 2020.

To cope with the extra demand, the subcontract casting and machining specialist is building a second die casting cell in Ashford, Kent, which is due to be operational in early 2020. Last year the company purchased a second pair of Heller horizontalspindle, twin-pallet production centres to machine the increasing quantity of components.

Back in 2007 when Ford approved the AWD transmission design, the rights for which passed to MJ Allen when it purchased four-wheel-drive specialist County in Knighton, Powys, only around 30 6

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transmission sets per week were cast and machined. The number has gradually increased but will grow significantly faster over the next few years thanks to online shopping deliveries.

Even at the start, 30 transmissions weekly involved much larger batches than MJ Allen traditionally manufactured. Ones and twos up to a maximum of 10 were more usual quantities for subcontract sand casting and machining of the company's aluminium, iron and bronze components.

Existing horizontal- and vertical-spindle prismatic metalcutting equipment on the shop floor with working envelopes of up to 3 x 2 x 2 metres were ideal for milling and drilling these castings, which can weigh three tonnes, but were overly large, not

sufficiently well specified and too slow for production machining of the smaller automotive transmission parts.

Group managing director Tim Allen said: "Early in 2006 we realised that new equipment would be needed for the Ford AWD project, so we visited the MACH exhibition in Birmingham to review what was available. Of all the potential suppliers we spoke with, Heller Machine Tools stood out as being the most receptive to our requirements.

"We wanted a two-machine turnkey solution and a handholding approach with applications back-up, as this was the first significant automotive contract we had won and our initial entry into machining of production volumes.”

The new machines mirror the production of MJ Allen’s existing Heller machines, with one of each pair devoted to producing the transmission's main case in three operations, the longest cycle being one hour. The other machines machine the intermediate and cover castings.

8 mjallen.co.uk MARCH 2020

Engineering Capacity | INDUSTRY NEWS

Southern show smashes record Southern Manufacturing & Electronics 2020, held at Farnborough International Exhibition Centre in February, witnessed a 9% increase in attendance to set an all-time record. A total of 9,256 visitors attended the three-day show, which is the UK’s longest-running and largest annual industrial technology exhibition.

Companies from all over the UK, continental Europe and further afield took part, showcasing a huge range of industrial products and technologies, from electronic components to the latest high-tech machining centres.

Supported by several of the

UK’s top industry organisations, such as the Farnborough Aerospace Consortium, the SMMT, GTMA and CBM, the show provides a focal point for manufacturing enterprise across the southern half of the country, which includes a significant portion of the UK’s £32bn aerospace industry. Also supporting the show was Composites UK and NetComposites, two of the UK’s leading trade organisations for the rapidly-growing composites and advanced materials sector.

Representatives from these organisations, along with other experts from industry and

academia, provided three days of high-level insight at the show’s free technical seminar programme, which also proved extremely popular with visitors.

As one of the earliest major exhibitions of the year, Southern Manufacturing & Electronics provides an interesting weathervane for the mood of UK manufacturing, and particularly so this year, coming hard on the heels of Brexit.

Southern Manufacturing & Electronics will return to Farnborough from February 9th to 11th 2021 and over 70% of stand space has already been reserved.

8 industrysouth.co.uk

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INDUSTRY NEWS | Engineering Capacity

MAN reaches £75m milestone The Manufacturing Assembly Network (MAN), a collaboration of eight West Midlands-based subcontract manufacturers and an engineering design agency is celebrating £75m of sales generated since it was formed.

A significant focus is now on increasing this number to £100m according to Adam Cunningham, CEO of Muller Holdings and the new Chairman of MAN, taking over from Brandauer’s Rowan Crozier earlier this year.

The former craft apprentice is a big supporter of ‘strength in numbers’ and believes the group’s ability to share sales opportunities/ best practice, stronger purchasing power and unrivalled manufacturing expertise has been pivotal in helping it withstand economic uncertainty and secure work from overseas.

“We are fairly unique in being able to bring together such a wide diversity of engineering disciplines under one banner,” explained Adam, who started his career with Concentric Pumps in Birmingham.

Visit our website or contact us for a quote or advice

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“Our core philosophy is to work together to win new contracts as that is what keeps us all in business and, over the years, we’ve been very successful in doing that. A recent order from the renewables sector has actually taken us over £75m of sales for the group.”

He added: “That’s in the past and the focus is very much on the future and looking at new markets which lend themselves to our strengths.

Electrification is one of these and we’re leveraging our relationship with WMG to make real strides in this market, whilst alternative

powertrains are also presenting a number of new opportunities.

“The other thing I want to pursue under my stewardship is exploring how more member companies can introduce automation and robotics into their processes to increase productivity and competitiveness. This isn’t at the expense of jobs, quite the opposite. If we can work smarter, we can win more contracts and in turn create new positions.”

The Manufacturing Assembly Network was established in 2003 using funding from Advantage West Midlands (the then Regional Development Agency) to help combat industrial uncertainty in the area.

When AWM was disbanded, member firms decided to carry on with MAN, agreeing to self-fund the collaboration and, today, the collective now features Alucast, Barkley Plastics, Brandauer, C-MAC SMT, Grove Design, Kimbermills International, Muller Holdings, PP Control & Automation and Ricor.

The group enjoys more than £150m combined sales annually and employs over 1600 people, offering every engineering discipline imaginable, including automation and control systems, forging, plastic injection moulding, PCB development, precision machining, product and mechanical systems design, high-volume pressings and welded assemblies.

8 man-group.co.uk MARCH 2020

Engineering Capacity | INDUSTRY NEWS

Clean packaging wrapped up New cleanroom facilities mean that European thermoformer TEQ:Plastique can now offer a range of medical packaging products from its facilities in the UK and Poland.

Designed, built and commissioned by pharmaceutical cleanroom experts, the facilities are certified to ISO 13485: 2016, suitable for the production of precision-made and custom thermoformed medical packaging.

The cleanrooms, located in Nottingham and Poznan, are designed to meet medical device and pharmaceutical manufacturers’ most rigorous packaging requirements.

Packaging solutions include trays, procedure sets, clamshells, tubs, covers, lids, sterile barrier blisters and seal blisters.

The company also manufactures custom thermoformed handling trays suitable for high-speed production, with automated assembly and transit. Handling EPHJ, (formerly EPHJ-EPMTSMT) brings together, at the heart of Europe, all high-precision skills in the areas of watch-making and jewellery, microtechnology and medical technology.

The show facilitates the development of synergies between high-precision technology professions. EPHJ takes place, in Geneva, from 16th to 19th June this year. Visit the

MARCH 2020

tray solutions include autoinjectors, dry powder inhalers, injection-moulded components, pre-filled syringes and pharmaceutical bottles.

The two sites are fully certified to meet the BRC IoP Global Standard which sets strict criteria for manufacturers of packaging for the food and cosmetics industries.

TEQ:Plastique’s sister company, US thermoforming business TEQ, offers facilities that enable the company to produce identical tools for packaging products previously only manufactured in the US. “Now, with identical machinery

and tooling on both sides of the Atlantic, TEQ:Plastique can offer multinational customers shortened lead times, repeatability and uniformity together with a single global validation across a range of packaging solutions for the medical and pharmaceutical industries,” says Anne-Sophie Belamine, TEQ:Plastique’s European Sales Di-rector.

“With 40 years’ experience working with many of the world’s leading brand owners, we’re proud to be able to offer our customers a range of custommade solutions, developed in our state-of-the-art cleanrooms in the UK, Poland and the US. “Our facilities enable us to manufacture innovative thermoformed solutions, such as sterile barrier packaging, engineered to maximise revenue, reduce cost and increase our speed to market.”

8 plastique.eu

Precision on show in Geneva exhibitors and talks to become thoroughly informed about the latest innovations, services, cuttingedge solutions and technologies for the design, manufacture, development and promotion of your products. Leading medical technology specialists will showcase their latest products to help you discover how they can be used in your field of application.

Engineering Capacity is a supporting partner of EPHJ 2020 and is offering a special deal to readers that includes free entry to the show. To book the offer which includes free entry, access to conference sessions, welcome kit and complimentary travel in Geneva email brook@tema.de.

8 https://ephj.ch/en

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INDUSTRY NEWS | Engineering Capacity Precision machining subcontractor Duckworth & Kent (Reading) Ltd has invested in a new wire erosion machine that will reduce set-ups required, improve quality and repeatability, and allow unmanned overnight operations.

The new machine is a Sodick VL600Q model, its first from that manufacturer, supplied by Sodi-Tech EDM. The company undertakes everything from prototype projects and the development and manufacture of special purpose machinery, through to small batch and full production piece-part machining.

“Our speciality is low-volume, high-quality precision components, often manufactured from a variety of difficult materials and with complex shapes that few others want to attempt,” explains Sales Director Stuart Gleeson.

The 15-employee business has relied on wire EDM for many

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Wirecut adds precision

years, particularly for the extremely high accuracy cutting of precision parts. However, when one of the company’s three wire EDMs recently required replacement, the company decided to evaluate a range of potential suppliers.

Reviewing three wire EDM machines, Mr Gleeson and his team quickly settled on the

Sodick VL600Q, which seemed “a natural fit with the type of work” undertaken at the company.

He added that the rotary axis on the machine would help with complex parts.

“We’ve been putting the rotary axis to good use,” says Mr Gleeson. “For instance, it’s making light work of a lifting rod for the defence industry that is made from toughened steel. The rod features a series of diameters and squares that have to be concentric and straight to one another. There is also a thread and a yoke at the top for lifting. The rod is about 150mm long and we recently produced a batch of 58 in a single set-up.

Previously, this part would have required two EDM operations, or one EDM operation followed by milling and/or grinding. Saving a set-up probably equates to a cycle time reduction of one hour per part. So that’s 58 hours saved on one job alone, plus the quality is better as we avoid picking up the component and re-setting.”

8 duckworthandkent.engineering MARCH 2020

Engineering Capacity | PEOPLE

Trade Leads from the EIA The following FREE OF CHARGE trade leads for the UK engineering industry are currently appearing on the Trade Board pages of the Engineering Industries Association at www.eia.co.uk

Graeme Bennett has now been appointed a director of IPC Mouldings. He previously held a number of senior management business positions across manufacturing, packaging, beverage and construction sectors before joining IPC Mouldings as general manager in early 2019.

Tony Summers has been appointed Head of Manufacturing at Sussex-based accountant and business adviser MHA Carpenter Box. He will play a key role in METALL, a forum for manufacturing, engineering and technology businesses in Sussex, South Surrey and the Gatwick Diamond.

India - Surface finishing A company wants a UK joint venture partner for surface finishing machines of Aero Engine blades.

Reference: 34098 Closing Date: 30/12/2020 Costa Rica – Valves You should be able to supply electric valves, simple air valves, auto air valves, pressure reducing and measuring valves.

Reference: 34262 Closing Date: 01/05/2020 Cuba - Wind turbine spares An importer in the electricity and energy sector is looking for spare parts for wind farms.

Reference: 34338 Closing Date: 17/04/2020 Qatar – Concrete Moulds A steel fabricator is looking for a technical partner specialised in concrete hollow masonry block mould fabrication.

Reference: JV1393 Closing Date: 08/05/2020

Abdul Butt is the new CEO of GKN Wheels and Structures. He has held a number of senior positions in GKN since joining the company in 1999, including being responsible for the company’s plants at Telford in the UK and Estherville in the USA.

MARCH 2020

Jo Davis is the new Managing Director at Dorking-based Broanmain Plastics.

She takes the helm at the precision and technical plastics injection moulding company this having led operations at the family business since 2018. Jo’s appointment forms part of the company’s strategic succession plan.

Romania – Metal Containers A Romanian company specialized in the production of metal containers for various types of waste is looking for distributors/buyers on the EU market.

Reference: JV1398 Closing Date: 10/05/2020 For more information please email head.office@eia.co.uk quoting reference number.

Please remember to use due diligence in responding to Trade Leads. Engineering Capacity provides you with the above information in good faith, but is unable to accept any responsibility or legal liability arising from any use of these leads.

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AEROSPACE & DEFENCE | Engineering Capacity NiTEC Ltd in partnership with CBE+, the electroless nickel plating specialist based in Chesterfield, UK, has achieved certification to the AS9100 standard for management systems in the aerospace, space and defence industries.

Certification followed an external audit of the company’s quality management system by Lloyds Register of Quality Assurance (LRQA).

Marie Cooper, Group CEO of CBE+, said: “This is a very exciting development for our business and is testament to the hard work and commitment of our team. Having secured AS9100 certification for our precision engineering business two years ago, it has

AS9100 for coatings been part of our growth plans to also secure this for our electroless nickel plating-partner.

We achieved this certification within just seven months and understand we are the only UK company able to offer AS9100 QMS standards in both precision engineering and electroless plating to the aerospace sector as a combined offering.”

Fabio Cosenza, Business Development Manager at CBE+, adds: “Securing AS9100 for both our precision engineering and electroless plating businesses will enable us to develop further opportunities and partnerships

2020

Totally dedicated to the metal casting sectorr, offers the opportunity to listen to presentations from practical foundry personnel, end users, supplier representatives and leading industrialists, as well as network with potential collaborators and customers.

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eatures: 2020 ffeatures:

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with the aerospace and defence sectors where we can become an integral part of their supply chain.

We are excited about what the future holds.”

In addition to achieving AS9100, CBE+ already has plans in place to work towards attaining NADCAP (the National Aerospace and Defense Contractors Accreditation Programme) and certification to the Fit for Nuclear supply chain, which will further strengthen their offer to the aerospace, defence and nuclear industries.

CBE+ has also joined the SC21 programme.

8 cbeplus.com

DON’T MISS OUT ON THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE A P PART AR ART OF THIS MUST A ATTEND TTEND EVENT Contact: Cont tact: a CAST CAST METALS MET TA ALS FEDERA FEDERATION ATION T Email: admin@cmf admin@cmfed.co.uk fe ed.co ed.co.uk

MARCH 2020

Engineering Capacity | AEROSPACE & DEFENCE A custom-designed manufacturing cell at Irish subcontractor Lenane Precision aims to exploit the potential of automation on aerostructure components.

Designed and built by Mills CNC the turnkey automated cell will be installed at Lenane Precision’s facility in Smithstown, Shannon, County Clare in March 2020.

The cell represents a significant investment for Lenane and, when operational, will run 24/7 delivering significant productivity gains and process efficiency improvements to the company – substantially increasing its competitiveness.

Based around two Siemens 840D-controlled Doosan DVF 5000 5-axis machines and a Fanuc industrial robot, the cell also incorporates at robot transfer track to allow the robot to load and unload both machines, an integrated 36-pallet racking system and a 2m high safety enclosure.

Lenane serves a number of sectors, but it is the company’s growing business in high precision aerostructure parts that has been the key driver for this project.

Jim Lenane, Managing Director, says: “The aerospace sector is global, challenging and demanding and, whilst success is never guaranteed, if you are unable to meet the Industry’s exacting quality requirements, stringent lead-times and cost down demands you’re on a hiding to nothing”.

Lenane’s recent multi-axis, multi-tasking machine tool investments demonstrate its commitment to one-hit machining.

Jim Lenane says: “My vision and ambition has always been to MARCH 2020

Aerospace machining cell

exploit the true potential of automation - the objective being to achieve continuous and seamless production in our facility, and to reduce, as far as is possible, the labour component from our machining processes.

“In reality I was waiting for the right time to realise the vision and, at the tail end of 2018 with orders from our existing aerospace customers reaching an all-time high and with firm commitments from them to place more orders with us in the future the decision to put these plans into action was made.

“Integrated workpiece pallet changers were clearly an option for us but, from a continuous production perspective, this route had its limitations. I wanted something more ambitious - an automation solution that was future-proof.

“I knew that an automation

solution that involved industrial robots was the direction of travel so we set about exploring the options and alternatives.”

The critical prerequisites for the cell were that it should be flexible to allow expansion and new types of component, compact to meet Lenane’s floorspace constraints, and come from a single supplier.

Jim Lenane says: “We were looking for a turnkey solutions supplier to manage all aspects of the cell’s design and build. From an efficiency (and sanity) perspective it was important that we had a single point of contact for all communications relating to the cell and not have to manage relationships with the different equipment suppliers.”

Lenane approached a number of turnkey providers early in 2019 with their requirements and ultimately awarded the project to Mills CNC. 8 lenaneprecision.com www.engineeringcapacity.com

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AEROSPACE & DEFENCE | Engineering Capacity A leading aerospace subcontractor is one of 62 North West SMEs that have benefitted from Made Smarter funding to adopt new technologies.

MSM aerospace fabricators in Manchester is predicting 20% growth after support from Made Smarter to adopt leading-edge Digital Twin technology that will redesign its new factory and unlock production and capacity planning in the future.

The Made Smarter North West pilot is working with SMEs to help them introduce digital tools and technologies to help boost productivity and growth.

Michael Pedley, Managing Director of MSM aerospace fabricators, said: “The truth is that without Made Smarter support we wouldn’t have committed to such an advanced level of simulation.

Our plan was always focussed on design as a discrete project. This extra investment means we get maximum value from the technology in the future. It also means that we could do it immediately rather than delaying – propelling us forward by years.”

Another NW subcontractor, the Liverpool-based Abbey Group, is projecting a 22% increase in turnover, a 41% increase in profit and is creating 30 new jobs, by 2022, investing in a real-time machine monitoring and an AI planning solution.

So far 300 North West small and medium sized manufacturers have secured support, including specialised advice and £1.6M of funding, in the first year of the Made Smarter programme.

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NW SMEs get smarter

This support for local manufacturing SMEs includes expert impartial advice and one-toone support, digital road-mapping workshops to help manufacturers take their first steps to transform their business, eight-month leadership and management training programmes offered in partnership with Lancaster University, as well as funded threemonth student placements.

62 of the businesses supported with impartial, specialist technology advice have also secured matched funding, and with this support forecast to deliver an additional £52M in gross value added (GVA) for the North West economy over the next three years.

SME applicants are developing projects involving the adoption of a range of industrial digital technologies, including Data

Analytics, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Augmented Reality (AR), Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), 3D-printing and robotics to solve business challenges across a range of manufacturing functions.

By adopting these cutting-edge technologies, these businesses benefit from improved productivity and revenue, increased exports and job creation, providing new skills to workforces, enhanced integration with supply chains and reduced environmental impact.

Donna Edwards, Programme Director for the Made Smarter North West pilot, said: “Over the last year the Made Smarter team has engaged with hundreds of makers from every corner of the region.

“We have found a great enthusiasm about the benefits of adopting new digital technology tempered by uncertainty of how to go about it.

“It’s clear that the SMEs need the specialist advice and insight to help them select the right approach for their business, how much to invest MARCH 2020

Engineering Capacity | AEROSPACE & DEFENCE and which technologies will bring the greatest benefits. “This is exactly how Made Smarter can and is helping businesses across the region. “Made Smarter is relevant for any North West SMEs employing less than 250 staff who make, create, manufacture or engineer.

The interest we have received in the first year has been incredible. I urge local businesses to get in touch and find out how digital technology can transform their business.�

The ÂŁ20M pilot programme was launched in November 2018, becoming operational in January 2019, and runs until March 2021.

The pilot will inform how best to support SME manufacturers in the adoption of new industrial digital technologies.

Andrea Thompson, chair of the Made Smarter Commission's North West Pilot and BAE's managing director for Europe & International Programmes, said: "We recognise that the move

towards advanced technologies can be intimidating, which is why Made Smarter offers a raft of additional support to help manufacturers take that first step.�

During its first 12 months a series of events in Greater Manchester, Cheshire and Warrington, Lancashire, Cumbria and Liverpool have allowed Made Smarter’s team of expert advisers to connect with businesses in a wide range of sectors.

8 madesmarter.uk

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TURNED PARTS | Engineering Capacity A new large-capacity vertical turning lathe is helping subcontractor Unilathe Ltd consolidate and grow its aerospace business.

The machine, a Fanuc controlled Doosan VT1100 supplied by Mills CNC, was installed at Unilathe’s 82,000 square foot facility in August 2019 and has been positioned adjacent to another Doosan VT1100 machine to create a flexible, highproductivity vertical turning cell.

Since being installed the new Doosan lathe has been used to machine a range of complex, high-precision and performancecritical components for customers operating in the aerospace, oil and gas, off-highway, mining, rail and special industrial equipment sectors.

These components, machined in small batches, are large, heavy and awkward-shaped.

They are made from hard and difficult-to-machine materials that include titanium, Inconel, nickelbased alloys, Heat Resistant Super Alloys (HRSA) and Jethete (a corrosion-resistant, hardened and tempered steel).

Turning to aerospace

A primary objective behind the new investment was Unilathe’s desire to secure new aerospace business.

Andrew Sims, Unilathe’s managing director, says: “We have been active in the aerospace sector for a number of years and have an international reputation in the sector for quality, lead time fulfilment and cost competitiveness.

“Our ambition is to significantly grow this side of our business and to strengthen our position in the supply chain.”

To do this Unilathe has implemented a number of

Aerospace Oil & Gas Nuclear Defence

PRECISION ENGINEERING www.thomas-brown-engineering.co.uk Tel: 01484 548903

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Automotive Electronics Hi Fi

Industrial & High Volume Machining

strategies including becoming a member of the North West Aerospace Alliance, gaining AS900 accreditation and using and leveraging the skills, experience and knowledge acquired from working in other sectors to help raise its profile.

Andrew Sims says: “We want to move away from being perceived as a company that only offers first and second stage machining of castings and forgings to one that can machine and deliver high integrity components from start to finish to aerospace customers - similar to what we provide for customers in other sectors and industries.”

Integral to the success of Unilathe’s repositioning strategy is ensuring the company has access to the right machine tools. A strategic audit undertaken by the company examined its internal machining capabilities and revealed that its future aerospace ambitions would be well served by strengthening its vertical turning capacity 8 unilathe.co.uk MARCH 2020

Engineering Capacity | TURNED PARTS Reliable barfeeders and low frequency chip management have helped Plastic Turned Parts (PTP) doubled turnover in the past four years.

In that time, it has invested over £750,000 in six new CNC turning centres. Of the six new machines, five were supplied by Citizen Machinery – four Cincom slidinghead lathes and most recently a Miyano fixed-head model.

These are complemented by six further turning machines, allowing PTP to machine bar up to 65 mm and billets up to 150 mm in diameter. A Haas CNC mill is used for occasional second-operation work and for destructive testing.

All except two of the Citizen lathes are fitted with Iemca bar magazines.

PTP's managing director and owner Jonathan Newis says turning flexible plastic bar is a specialised business – one of the problems being that, unlike metal bars, thinner stock sags under its own weight both within the magazine and in the space between it and the lathe.

Through UK supplier 1st MTA, Iemca modified the bar feeds to include solid panels rather than standard cross struts for supporting the plastic bars along the length of the magazine. These were coupled with bespoke clamping blocks to ensure that small diameter bar remains horizontal in between the barfeed and the turning centre.

Mr Newis added, "We have been using Iemca bar magazines since we took over a turned parts subcontractor on this site and MARCH 2020

Right ingredients for plastic parts

inherited two Cincom sliding-head lathes and three cam-type autos.

"We bought our first new Citizen slider in 2007, a 16 mm capacity machine, to replace the cam machines. In all that time the barfeeds have proved to be reliable and well built, which translates into absence of vibration and hence high dimensional accuracy of machined components as well as good surface finish."

Citizen’s LFV two-axis oscillating chipbreaking software also helps ensure quality when turning plastics, many of which tend to produce bird nests of long, stringy swarf. The main culprits are polyethylenes and thermoplastics, while fluoropolymers also have a tendency to string.

Mr Newis explained, "With either of the two LFV software modes switched on when turning these materials, swarf is broken

into short lengths that do not wrap around the component or spindle.

We can even program the ideal length of swarf through P1 and P2 codes that set the frequency of oscillation so that, at the other end of the scale, unnecessarily small plastic chips do not build up and clog the machine.

"It results in higher productivity and lower labour costs, as we no longer have to include regular breaks in programs, typically hourly, to stop the lathes for swarf to be cleared from the working area. Lights-out running also becomes possible, leading to higher profitability and allowing us to quote more competitive prices and win extra business.”

8 plasticturnedparts.co.uk www.engineeringcapacity.com

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Engineering Capacity | FORMING & FABRICATION

Covering all the bending angles Three LVD press brakes at Bridlington-based BW Industries have improved production efficiencies and accuracy on parts ranging from small brackets and cleats up to 9m-long structural beams.

The steel processing specialist has invested in two LVD 4.5m 320t Easy-Form press brakes that can work together as a tandem machine to form components up to 9m long and 8mm thick.

It has also installed a fast, compact, electric-drive DynaPress to give it more productivity on smaller components.

The company was formed around 45-years ago and is run by Managing Director Gareth Rounding and Director of Operations and Sales Neil Pilling.

The two have been with the company for 25 years, buying a stake in the business in 2004 and completing a management buyout in 2016.

The company now has around 150 employees and turns over £25m – which has increased by £7m in the last three years.

BW is unusual in having both press brakes and roll forming lines, as well as lasers and fabrication facilities.

Neil Pilling says: “We do anything to do with steel products – pressed, rolled, laser cut, assembled, painted – we are a one-stop steel shop processing around 25,000 tonnes of steel a year.”

Many of BW’s customers are in the construction sector, where the MARCH 2020

offsite construction of modular buildings is a strong and growing area. On the laser and press braking side it also supplies customers in commercial vehicle building, motorway signage, crane booms and shipping containers.

The decision to invest in new bending capacity came initially from a desire to replace some older machines that were becoming difficult to support with spares and service, but it also gave them the opportunity to bring BW’s bending facilities up to the latest level of technology.

Neil Pilling says: “We wanted new machines that were current in terms of spare parts, maintenance and service, but above all we wanted to get that next step on in technology. It is about efficiency and quality.

For us quality is paramount and that is what the LVD machines ensure. We wanted to give the

guys on the factory floor the tools to do the job so we could reap the rewards and benefits.”

Gareth adds: “Previously we only had a 7.3m press brake, whereas our laser capacity was 9m, so we decided on two independent 4.5m machines that could run in tandem to complement the laser.”

The key benefits of the machines for BW are their accuracy, speed of setup and the flexibility of having either two 4.5m 320t machines or one 9m 640t machine. It is effectively three machines in one, with a minimal changeover time to move to tandem operation.

Neil Pilling says that the accuracy over 9m on the first test part was 0.3mm and that the machines give a consistently accurate bend on every component.

8 bw-industries.co.uk www.engineeringcapacity.com

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FORMING & FABRICATION | Engineering Capacity

Cultivating fabrication projects Turnover at Perth based Edwards Engineering is up 28% on last year and has doubled since an MBO in 2016, with strong growth in malting and grain processing.

The multi-disciplinary engineering firm’s year end results are up from £7.5million to £9.6 million turnover.

Operating from a 45,000 sq. ft site with extensive fabrication facilities, the 50-year-old firm with customers spanning the food and drink, manufacturing, agricultural and construction sectors was acquired through a management buy-in with support from existing management in August 2016.

Supporting the growth of the business staff numbers have increased by over 20% from 48 to 62. Apprentices make up a fifth of the firm’s 40 strong engineering workforce.

Edwards Engineering Chief Executive, Ben Carter said: “Investment in our project management capability has resulted in us being able to take on the Principal Contactor role on larger projects. We are seeing strong growth in the maltings industry and grain processing for major farmers, cooperatives and traders.

“We’ve worked closely with Kingdom Farms delivering the 20

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new £1 million seed processing facility at Balgonie Estates near Glenrothes, and with the Muntons team on their malting germination bed replacement in Stowmarket, Suffolk. The successful completion of a £4 million project with Superglass Insulation to install the new furnace building at Stirling, doubled their annual production capacity of glass wool.”

“We recognize that no two projects are the same and that we need to adopt a flexible approach.

Combining the multi-skilled capabilities of our in-house design and fabrication facility alongside the on-site installation of complex projects has directly contributed to the doubling of our sales figures in the last three years. We are planning continued investment in our technical and project management capabilities to underpin further growth as we work towards our target of £20 million turnover.”

Key to the growth of the

company is its investment in training, and the apprentice programme designed and implemented in-house by Edwards to ensure a solid grounding of the key engineering skills the company has built its reputation on. In the last 18 months, three apprentices have completed their training and SVQ’s in welding and fabrication. Ten apprentices are currently working across Edwards’ client sites with another five expected to join the Apprenticeship Scheme in 2020.

Sandy Kirk, Managing Director, Edwards Engineering, said: “We’re very proud of our successful Apprenticeship Scheme that delivers both knowledge and employability. We ensure the Apprentices’ skillsets are honed in-house through working alongside our experienced engineers, project managers, draftsmen, site operatives and highly-skilled fabricators.”

8 edwardsengineering.co.uk MARCH 2020

Engineering Capacity | FORMING & FABRICATION

Lightweight forming leadership SDE Technology is the first company in Europe to hold a production licence for a revolutionary hot forming process for lightweight pressings.

SED, formerly known as Salop Design and Engineering, is one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of pressings and assemblies, and has signalled its intentions to be a world leader in lightweight components for the automotive, aerospace and renewables sectors by investing in the Hot Form Quench (HFQ®) process.

This new technology gives designers the freedom to create parts that offer significant weight savings, yet still deliver higher structural strength, with improved formability in six and seven thousand series alloys, that cannot be formed cold. In some instances, it can also reduce the part counts from multiple components to just one.

Because HFQ lends itself to higher strength aluminium, it is ideally suited for the vehicle safety cell in the automotive sector and has also been used to develop a prototype aircraft armrest.

The initial investment of £1 million in 2019 enables the laser profiling of HFQ blanks, with a £multi-million investment scheduled to be in place at its Shrewsbury facility over the next eighteen months.

“This is a real gamechanger for our business and industry as a whole - thanks to HFQ® we can now offer new and existing MARCH 2020

customers a lightweight solution for making complex parts in one pressing, reducing weight, time to manufacture and cost in the process,” explained Richard Homden, CEO of SDE Technology.

He continued: “You simply cannot form this high-strength aluminium in any other way, unless you use a Super Plastic Forming process. Even then, SPF makes one part every 15 to 20 minutes, where the cycle time for our technology is one part every 15 to 20 seconds. That is a design and manufacturing dream.

“This is the start of an ambitious growth and investment strategy that positions us as the first production intent company for this process in Europe.”

SDE Technology is currently in talks with a number of OEMs about the Hot Form Quench offer.

Initial feedback from clients points to the fact you can exchange steel parts for aluminium and achieve part integration and less

weight as the key drivers for adoption. The fact you can also remove reinforcements and replace extrusions and castings with HFQ® pressings are other big wins.

Christopher Greenough, Chief Commercial Officer, said: “As a company, we are focused firmly on how we can deliver lightweight manufacturing solutions that can help solve a lot of industry’s current and future requirements.

“The Government is obviously pushing hard for electrification and this is something that our technology can assist with and we believe this will be a big driver in helping quadruple our turnover over the next 5 years.”

Christopher concluded: “We are looking to be at the forefront of the emerging EV and lightweighting markets, whether it is through HFQ or other innovative processes for joining different materials, battery technology and surface coating.”

8 sde.technology www.engineeringcapacity.com

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FORMING & FABRICATION | Engineering Capacity Birmingham metal pressings specialist Brandauer has capitalised on its Queen’s Award success by securing a new contract in the renewables field, supplying laminations for a new wind turbine system.

The 157-year-old company unveiled its involvement in a new project to create wind energy during the official presentation of its International Trade Award by the Lord Lieutenant of the West Midlands to its 60-strong workforce and family board members.

The company has been working with British manufacturer FuturEnergy to develop thin gauge generator lamination T pieces that help power AirForce1, a 1kW horizontal axis upwind turbine system designed for use in domestic homes and isolated industrial applications.

Rowan Crozier, CEO of Brandauer, commented: “This is a very memorable moment in our history and underlines how parts manufactured in the heart of Birmingham - are positively impacting on people’s lives all over the world.

“We currently make components that are used in 90% of the world’s kettles, in recon drones that save lives and edge connectors for the dimming of rear view mirrors in half of global car models.”

He continued: “The Queen’s Award reinforces all of the amazing things we do and the outstanding engineering expertise our staff, many of whom have been with us for over 25 years, bring to the table.

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Green win unveiled “We are very passionate about UK manufacturing and this prestigious award gives us the confidence to go out there and represent industry in this country against our international rivals.”

Brandauer, which exports 85% of its £9.2m turnover, has seen demand for its lamination services grow from the automotive electronics and search and rescue sectors.

Its relationship with FuturEnergy is the first contract secured to supply complex laminations for a product/system set to be used in power generation and renewables.

Working with the client, the pressings specialist developed a family of carbide inserted progression tools that not only stamp the profile, but also stack the components during the stamping process.

Tooling was highly complex with changeover modules allowing a

number of different profiles to be stamped. Keeping the parts orientated flat and without excessive break on the edge of the part required significant R&D and the ability to leverage knowledge gained from multiple sectors.

The process has also benefitted from a £600,000 investment into a new Yamada Dobby NXT 80XL high-speed press.

“This is a very important contract win for us and initially came through our involvement with the Manufacturing Assembly Network (MAN). It gives us the opportunity to work with a specialist in renewables to help it bring an exciting new green technology to market,” continued Rowan.

“There is a lot of demand for a small compact turbine that offers excellent performance and we fully expect volumes to increase as the AirForce1 becomes more popular.”

8 brandauer.co.uk MARCH 2020

Engineering Capacity | FORMING & FABRICATION SL Engineering Ltd, which supplies rigid tube assemblies and precision machined components, is aiming to double turnover following a £1.5m refinancing package from HSBC UK. The Lincolnshire-based company is a supplier to some of the world’s most demanding fuel, hydraulic and other critical fluid conveyance applications and is targeting a turnover of more than £12m by 2023.

The company has made a series of investments – fuelled by strong marketplace demand – in state-ofthe-art equipment including allelectric bending machines and three and five-axis machine tools to produce quality end fittings. These investments are set to increase turnover by 100%, and increase SL Engineering’s workforce by up to 36%, from 77 to 105 employees.

The company identified the need to build a long-term strategic partnership with a bank that is able to support these ambitious growth plans. The investment will improve cash flow within the business, allowing it to remain competitive, deliver cost-savings and meet steep production requirements, without sacrificing current customer relationships.

John Pickard, Joint Managing Director at SL Engineering, commented: “We’ve invested heavily to deliver rapid business growth over the past few years. On the back of this, we really needed to work with a banking partner that understands our challenges and can offer the support required to efficiently deliver additional growth.

We feel confident our new banking MARCH 2020

Backing for growth

partner, HSBC UK, will help us achieve this and would like to thank our Relationship Manager, Ian Green, who has helped us throughout the switch.”

Paul Armstrong, Area Director at HSBC UK, added: “SL Engineering has ambitious growth plans and we’re pleased that they

have come to us for support. We’re looking forward to working closely with the team in the coming years.”

SL Engineering has also been selected to join the Sharing in Growth (www.sig-uk.org) business transformation programme, which is set to deliver £900,000 in training and business transformation initiatives for the company. Usually only open to businesses with a turnover upward of £10 million, acceptance onto the programme is recognition of the company’s robust growth plans.

With SiG and HSBC UK’s support, SL Engineering plans to increase manufacturing capacity and capability through efficiency drives in all areas of the business, coupled with further investment in state-of-the-art plant, facilities and staff.

8 sl-engineering.co.uk

From design, sampling and technical support to manufacture, Simpson Springs & Pressings Ltd provide the complete service.

Tel: 0118 978 6573 Email: sales@simpsonsprings.co.uk

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23

Engineering Capacity | HEAT & SURFACE TREATMENTS Newbury Electronics continues to invest, adding a selective robotic conformal coating machine, a new nickel gold line plating line and opening up new employment opportunities.

Despite the continued uncertainty surrounding the future direction of the country and a contracting manufacturing market, Newbury Electronics is bucking the trend by generating record sales and continuing to invest in its facilities and services.

The first capital investment is the installation of a new selective conformal coating line. A thin layer of a polymeric film is applied to the completed boards to provide extra protection against chemicals, dust, moisture and extremes of temperature. Without this additional protection, boards being utilised in a more hostile environment would be prone to far higher levels of failure.

John Rowley, managing director, said; "Previously we have had to outsource any conformal coating requirements, but this new equipment enables us to deliver the coating to a high technical level of tolerance and precise coating thicknesses. It will also reduce delivery time but at no increased cost to customers. The new service, which will be carried out on a PVA Delta 8 machine which also incorporates stackers, conveyors, a UV inspection station and a curing cabinet. A new working area has been created to house the equipment, as this process requires a clean environment.�

Customers will be able to order boards with this coating via MARCH 2020

More electronics investment

Newbury's online ordering facility, PCB Train, as of January 2020.

A second area of investment is a

nickel gold plating line for the company's PCB fabrication service. This investment is in line with the company's desire to maximise on opportunities in advanced technology markets such as the aerospace and military sectors, where gold finish is preferred for many boards. "Gold is non-reactive flat finish which has a longer shelf life so is specified for many boards in these key markets. Whilst silver is robust and we do offer a free re-plating service, it does oxidise over time;" explained Rowley. "Alongside this investment in equipment comes a requirement for additional staff so we are actively recruiting for a range of new positions for people to work in both these new areas and the existing areas of the business."

8 newburyelectronics.co.uk pcbtrain.co.uk www.engineeringcapacity.com

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HEAT & SURFACE TREATMENTS | Engineering Capacity

Galvanisers dip into their pockets Corbetts Galvanisers, one of the UK’s oldest hot dip galvanizing specialists, is celebrating its 160th birthday with a £300,000 investment drive.

The company, which employs 105 people at its Telford facility, has a range of events scheduled to help it mark the major anniversary, including the installation of new flux and acid tanks that will free up capacity and speed up the galvanizing process.

The management team are now setting their sights on a 7% increase in volumes, which, if achieved, will generate an additional £1m of revenue for the firm.

“It has certainly been a roller coaster 12 months,” explained Finance Director Sophie Williams.

“We have spent a lot of the last twelve months building a platform that would allow us to work through the economic issues we faced, whilst also pressing on with our desire to reinforce our position as one of the UK’s leading hot dip galvanizers.”

She continued: “In fact, when we actually look at the figures, we can see that we achieved our best ever year for new sales and a lot of this was down to our repositioning, a new brand and successfully passing our ISO 9001 quality accreditation.

“When products roll out of our 26

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facility in the heart of Shropshire, the stunning finish we create is something that usually tells us that the processes, the staff and the investment we have signed off on is working.”

The company, which was originally founded by Samuel Corbett, opened its Wellington factory in 1860 and Shropshire has remained its home ever since.

However, today’s site on Halesfield, its base since 1999, will be barely recognisable to those that started out all those years ago, with a new water recovery system in place, state-of-the-art kettles installed and a 13-strong fleet of vehicles in the yard acting as the

distribution nerve centre for serving its customer base.

Another major milestone was the purchase of the business by Canadian investment house Ardenton Capital in 2017 and, under its renewed backing, it has enjoyed a steep upward growth curve, putting on over £1.2m in sales and enjoying new successes in construction and the automotive sector.

“Our galvanizing can be seen on street furniture, to keep vital IT infrastructure safe and on articulated lorry trailers carrying goods all over the UK. We even have a big say on the chassis that thousands of static caravans sit on.

It’s all about delivering the performance, yet still making sure they look great,” added Sophie.

She concluded: “2020 will be a real celebration of our history, but also a marker in the sand for the next 160 years, starting with a 7% increase in volumes. If we achieve this, revenue should be up by £1m – now that’s a good birthday present.”

8 wcorbett.co.uk MARCH 2020

Engineering Capacity | MACH 2020 PREVIEW

MACH 2020: connecting manufacturing Running from 20 to 24 April at the NEC, Birmingham, MACH is the longest-running manufacturing and engineering exhibition in the UK. The thing that sets MACH apart from other events is the amount of live working machinery on display, allowing visitors to experience at first hand the power and capabilities of the latest manufacturing technology.

Attracting 25,000 visitors and in excess of 600 exhibitors, MACH is the platform to connect UK manufacturing engineers, decision makers, buyers and specifiers with suppliers of new technology, equipment, services and processes.

Engineering Capacity is an official media partner of MACH 2020 and will be exhibiting on stand 7-33.

James Fudge, Head of Events and Member Services at the Manufacturing Technologies Association (MTA), which organises the exhibition on behalf of industry, said: “MACH 2020 is the UK’s national event for inspiring, innovating and connecting manufacturing and will provide real value for our visitors. We will have all the latest manufacturing technology solutions available under one roof, giving visitors an unrivalled overview of our sector in the UK.” He continued “With our exhibitors, we work hard to provide meaningful engagement points and are pleased to announce HS2 will be exhibiting MARCH 2020

at the show, looking to connect and work with the UK supply chain. We also have several Catapult Centres and the Made Smarter programme showing what they can offer, to assist companies with the transition into the digital age. If you’re looking to improve your productivity and embrace new manufacturing technology solutions, MACH 2020 is unmissable for you and your business.”

Supporting the move to digitalised manufacturing, the High Value Manufacturing (HVM) Catapult will be putting on a fourstand advanced technology trail.

The Catapult Trail will show how the HVM Catapult can help companies harness key Industry 4.0 technologies to improve their bottom line. All seven of the HVM Catapult’s world-leading centres of innovation will be on display along the trail, with special features on the future of machining, additive manufacturing, digitalisation and automation.

With the continued push in the sector towards near-netshape manufacturing, the Manufacturing Technology Centre’s (MTC) expertise in additive manufacturing will be on show, with a cutting-edge carbon fibre printer producing components throughout the event.

Making their way along the trail to the Advanced Forming Research Centre’s (AFRC) stand, visitors can then discuss Machining 4.0.

This is an Intereg-funded project for SMEs to innovate with new machining technologies, including hybrid systems.

To complete your journey along the supply chain, the Catapult Trail ends with the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre’s (AMRC) display of its automation and digitalisation capabilities. On the stand, you’ll see an eyecatching Caterham sports car which forms the centrepiece of their ELLI (ELectrification and Lightweighting in Industry 4.0) project. Their demos will tie into an www.engineeringcapacity.com

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MACH 2020 PREVIEW | Engineering Capacity overarching Digital Twin, providing real time manufacturing data.

Dick Elsy, Chief Executive of the HVM Catapult, said: “Since 2011, the HVM Catapult has worked with thousands of companies of all sizes to raise their game through innovation. It’s right that we are part of MACH 2020 to connect with more manufacturers we can help along the road to success.

Looking to future participants in the industry as well as future

technology, the event will also include an Education and Development Zone to help attract the next generation of engineers.

MACH 2020 also features an extensive seminar programme bringing together industry and academia to share new ideas and solutions to move manufacturing forward. Throughout the week the seminar programme will feature speakers from the likes of the AMRC, MTC, Coventry University,

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Siemens and BAE Systems to name but a few.

Topics such as Artificial Intelligence, Industry 4.0, Additive Manufacturing and Cyber Security will be discussed, plus much, much more. The seminar programme kicks off at 13:15 on Monday 20th April with David Holmes, Manufacturing Director – Air for BAE Systems. He’ll be discussing ‘Manufacturing technology requirements of BAE to remain competitive in a global market’.

On Wednesday 22nd April at 14:45 Juergen Maier will give an update on the Made Smarter Programme, which is also exhibiting at stand 7-732 at the exhibition, the Programme is looking to help SMEs start their digital journey.

James Selka, DL, CEO of The Manufacturing Technologies Association said, “MACH 2020 is not just about the technology on show, it is also about how to successfully implement that technology and ideas into your business. We work hard to ensure we get high quality speakers discussing the topics that really matter in modern manufacturing.

“The continued development of manufacturing technologies is enabling faster, more responsive, and more efficient processes to be implemented in businesses.

Inspire your workforce by bringing them to the show and ensure your team are technically up to date with the latest technology available. MACH 2020 is a fantastic opportunity to invest in new equipment.”

8 machexhibition.com MARCH 2020

Engineering Capacity | AWARDS It’s that time of year when industry awards open. Winning can help boost your company’s reputation and celebrate the achievements of the whole team.

Here, Billy McKenna, managing director of Aro PR and Marketing, discusses the business benefits and shares his top tips for successful applications.

There’s no doubt about it, award applications can be timeconsuming and require detailed data and explanation about precisely why your company deserves to be crowned the best in your field. So why apply for awards?

Whether you are a small, medium or large business, winning an industry award enhances your reputation. Plus, the publicity that comes with a win can put you in front of a host of potential new customers. For example, 73% of Queen’s Award winners had additional press coverage and in a recent survey 82% of businesses admitted to being influenced by awards when buying products or services.

There are several important points to consider when choosing which award to apply for. Do you go for the Queen’s Award for Enterprise – considered to be the UK’s most prestigious industry award. Or maybe you’ve got your sights set on a Make UK Award or a British Engineering Excellence Award? Perhaps you want to take a punt at the Manufacturer’s MX Awards or a regional business award such as Insider Made in the UK Awards where regional winners compete for the national prize?

After narrowing down which MARCH 2020

Winning boosts the bottom line

awards your company should apply for, it is important to gather the evidence to develop a compelling application. Another consideration is to allocate the application to a member of the team who has the time and resources to develop the strongest application possible.

There is a knack to navigating a successful path. Do your research and review the criteria to see if your company is eligible and check the award categories to match against your achievements.

You need to have a clear focus on which award best recognises your company’s unique selling points.

Don’t just consider your company’s vision here but consider the data that will propel your award application onto the winner’s podium.

I spoke with Paul Jones, Managing Director of Bitrez, a

leading UK manufacturer of specialist polymers and chemicals, which has won many awards. He said: “I’m delighted that Bitrez has won the Queen’s Award for Enterprise especially in the innovation category.

“This award celebrates everyone at Bitrez who worked so hard to bring the product to market, as well as the loyalty of our much-valued suppliers and customers who trust in our expertise and commitment to develop innovative products to comply with regulatory reform.”

This succinctly highlights the benefits of going for awards. They recognise companies’ USPs and celebrate the successes of the whole team.

The award at the top of the mountain, in my view, is the Queen’s Award for Enterprise.

Last year just 201 winners were www.engineeringcapacity.com

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AWARDS | Engineering Capacity announced across the four categories: 129 for International Trade; 61 for Innovation; 5 for Sustainable Development and 6 for Promoting Opportunity (through social mobility).

This is an annual scheme for outstanding achievement in each category and although more difficult to attain than other awards, it is undoubtedly the most prestigious and places you head and shoulders above your competition. The benefits of securing this award are numerous.

Without doubt, awards massively increase your profile. One of the largest incentives for applying for awards is for the recognition it can bring your business. Both if you’re shortlisted and if you win, your story will be covered in specialist trade magazines in print, online and across social media. As well as the PR coverage and industry recognition, you can display the winner’s logo in your reception, brochures and newsletters and on your website.

The recognition that an award will bring to your company is an

Bitrez was presented with the Queen’s Award for Innovation in 2019 by the Lord Lieutenant of Greater Manchester

excellent morale boost for staff and a reason in itself to apply. The opportunity to celebrate by attending the awards ceremony will foster team spirit within the workplace and, in many cases, will also help with recruitment. The stats speak for themselves, with a rise in staff engagement in 73% of Queen’s Awards winners- everyone wants to work for a winner!

Peter Marchbank, Managing Director at RPI, said: “Receiving a highly commended award from Make UK for Business Growth and Strategy is very encouraging to the whole team at RPI UK that

Alfreton based David Nieper Ltd won the prestigious MakeUK Manufacturer of the Year award in February after scooping gold in the Sustainability Award and runner up for Developing Future Talent

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their hard work and commitment is being recognised.”

Winning an award is also a great way to stand out against your competitors. A recent survey from the Queen’s Award found that 77% of winners had improved the commercial value of the business.

To sum up, be organized, start early and know what needs to be submitted and when. Tell the ‘story’ of your product in an engaging way to ensure you stand out from the crowd and grab the judge’s attention- and don’t forget to sprinkle your narrative with those all-important facts and figures.

Remember, the awards game is a competition. You might have a fantastic application, but another entry may just pip you to the top spot. The most important thing is not to give up. Make sure to take time to reflect; think about what’s worked and why it’s been successful, or what you could have done better. And don’t forget to ask for feedback to improve future applications. As the great American golfer Arnold Palmer, said, “The harder I practice, the luckier I get!”

MARCH 2020

BTMA MANUFACTURING MEMBERS | DIRECTORY

ACSL Precision Engineering sales@acsleng.co.uk www.acsleng.co.uk

Davromatic Precision Limited sales@davromatic.co.uk www.davromatic.co.uk

Haydon Precision Turned Parts Ltd haydontool.co@btconnect.com www.haydon-precision.co.uk

Atkinson Engineering sales@atkinson-engineering.com www.atkinson-engineering.com

Dawson Precision Components Ltd. sales@dpc.co.uk www.dpc.co.uk

Herve Engineering Ltd sales@herve-engineering.com herve-engineering.com

Batchflow Engineering info@batchflow.co.uk www.batchflow.co.uk

Dawson Shanahan (Wales) Ltd info@dawson-shanahan.co.uk www.dawson-shanahan.co.uk

Inro LLP sales@inro-eng.co.uk www.inro-eng.co.uk

Cambion Electronics Ltd sales@cambion.com www.cambion.com

DKW Engineering Ltd karl@dkwengineering.co.uk www.dkwengineering.co.uk

JCF Engineering Limited john.felton@jcfengineering.co.uk jcfengineering.co.uk

Cambridge Precision Ltd sales@cambridgeprecision.com www.cambridgeprecision.com

Falcon Engineering Productions Ltd sales@falconengineering.co.uk

M&M Turned Parts Ltd sales@mmturnedparts.co.uk www.mmturnedparts.co.uk

CK Precision Engineering Ltd Info@ckprecisionengineeringltd.com www.ckprecisionengineeringltd.com

GS Brown (Precision Engineers) Ltd malcolm@gsbrown.com www.gsbrown.com

Machined Component Systems sales@machinedcomponent.com www.machinedcomponent.com

CTN Group Ltd charlie@ctn-group.co.uk www.CTN-GROUP.co.uk

G W Martin and Co Ltd sales@gwmartin.co.uk www.gwmartin.co.cuk

Manton Engineering (Bedford) Ltd sales@mantonengineering.co.uk www.mantonengineering.co.uk

Currie & Warner Ltd tonyfox@curriewarner.com www.curriewarner.com

H P C Services Ltd sales@slidinghead.com www.slidinghead.com

MaS Precision Engineering Ltd sales@masprecision.co.uk www.masprecision.co.uk

MARCH 2020

btma.org

31

DIRECTORY | BTMA MANUFACTURING MEMBERS

Muller England Limited sales@muller-england.co.uk www.muller-england.co.uk

Quantamatic info@quantamatic.co.uk www.quantamatic.co.uk

Thomas Brown Engineering Ltd info@thomasbrownengineering.co.uk www.thomas-brown-engineering.co.uk

NC Precision Ltd sales@ncprecision.com www.ncprecision.com

Rodmatic Ltd enquiry@rodmatic.com www.rodmatic.com

TKM Engineering Ltd Sales@tkmengineering.co.uk www.tkmengineering.co.uk

Neida Products Engineering Ltd sales@neida.co.uk www.neida.co.uk

Rowan Precision Limited sales@rowanprecision.co.uk www.rowanprecision.co.uk

Trust Precision Engineering Ltd info@trustprecisionengineering.co.uk www.trustprecisionengineering.co.uk

Normec (Manchester) Ltd sales@normec.co.uk www.normec.co.uk

Salcey Precision Engineering Ltd info@salceyprecision.co.uk www.salceyprecision.co.uk

Plastic turned Parts Ltd sales@plasticturnedparts.co.uk www.plasticturnedparts.co.uk

Swissmatic Ltd info@swissmatic.co.uk www.swissmatic.co.uk

Wealdpark Limited sales@wealdpark.co.uk www.wealdpark.co.uk

Precision Component Services Ltd shane@precision-components.co.uk www.precision-components.co.uk

Techfore Turned Parts Ltd info@techfore.co.uk www.techfore.co.uk

Wharf Engineering Ltd sales@wharf-engineering.co.uk

Precision Products (Brighton) Ltd ian@precisionproducts.co.uk www.precisionproducts.co.uk

Tenable Screw Co Ltd nigel@tenable.co.uk www.tenable.co.uk

Wilco Manufacturing Ltd sales@wilcomanufacturing.co.uk www.wilcomanufacturing.co.uk

Qualiturn Products Ltd sales@qualiturn.co.uk www.qualiturn.co.uk

Tercet Precision Ltd Alex.Burns@tercet.co.uk www.buyturnedparts.com

Yorkshire Precision Engineering Ltd info@ypel.co.uk www.ypel.co.uk

32

btma.org

MARCH 2020

BTMA TECHNICAL MEMBERS | DIRECTORY

Arno (UK) Limited sales@arno.de www.arno-tools.co.uk

Filtermist Systems Limited sales@filtermist.com www.filtermist.co.uk

PSL Datatrack engcap@psldatatrack.com www.psldatatrack.com

The Amodil Group tkd@amodil.co.uk www.amodil.co.uk

Floyd Automatic Tooling Ltd sales@floydautomatic.co.uk www.floydautomatic.co.uk

Badger Anodising (Birmingham) Ltd sales@badgeranodising.co.uk www.badgeranodsing.co.uk

Kingsbury Ltd solutions@kingsburyuk.com www.kingsburyuk.com

Smiths Metal Centres info@smithmetal.com www.smithmetal.com

Bowers Group sales@bowersgroup.co.uk www.bowersgroup.co.uk

Kumi Solutions simon@kumi-solutions.com www.kumi-solutions.com

Star Micronics GB Ltd sales@stargb.com www.stargb.com

LNS Turbo sales.uk@lns-europe.com www.lns-europe.com

Ceratizit UK & Ireland Ltd info.uk@ceratizit.com www.ceratizit.com

Matsuura Machinery Ltd imichie@matsuura.co.uk www.matsuura.co.uk

Citizen Machinery UK sales@citizenmachinery.co.uk www.citizenmachinery.co.uk

Engineering Technology Group sales@engtechgroup.com www.engtechgroup.com

MARCH 2020

Stelstocks Ltd info@stelstocks.co.uk www.stelstocks.co.uk

Tornos Technologies UK Ltd sales_uk@tornos.com www.tornos.comk

Optimum Oils cliff.thrussell@optimumoils.com www.optimumoils.com

Wieland-Werke (UK) Ltd matthew.day@wieland.com www.wieland.com

btma.org

33

Qualiturn are a very modern subcontract machining service. We offer CNC precision Turned and Milled components to your specifications and quantities. We work with all sizes of customers, offering the same service to all. Supplying various market sectors across the world.

18 Merchant Drive Mead Lane Industrial Estate Hertford, Hertfordshire SG13 7AY Tel. +44 (0) 1992 584499 www.qualiturn.co.uk

LATHES.CO.UK Lathes.co.uk store.lathes.co.uk - where Manuals, Catalogues Drive Belts Books Accessories & Spares are listed The world’s largest machine tool reference archive. Manuals, Catalogues, Books, Pictures Specifications, Technical Guides Wardlow, Tideswell, Buxton, Derbyshire, SK17 8RP Tel. 01298-871633 (from overseas: +44-1298-871633) from 09:00 to 23:00 UK time www.lathes.co.uk

34

www.engineeringcapacity.com

MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS 8

Qualiturn Products Limited

PRECISION ENGINEERING 8

Mini Gears is a subcontract manufacturer of machined components, gears and racks.

Winner of 17 Industry Awards, it has a global customer base, 35,000 sq. ft. facility and over 100 machines.

Top Gear House, Bletchley Road Heaton Mersey Industrial Estate Stockport SK4 3ED Tel: 0161 432 0222 www.minigears.co.uk

PSL Datatrack PSL Datatrack is an affordable, modular production control system.

The software streamlines the entire production process from quotation to invoice encompassing sales orders, purchasing, planning, shop floor, quality, financial and management.

Lily Hill House, Lily Hill Road, Bracknell, Berkshire RG12 2SJ Tel: 08456 345931 www.psldatatrack.com

PRECISION ENGINEERING 8

MACHINE TOOL MANUALS 8

CNC PRECISION COMPONENTS 8

Unit 2, Deethe Farm Industrial Est, Cranfield Rd, Woburn Sands, Milton Keynes, Bucks MK17 8UR Tel: 01908 585103 www.jflbroaches.co.uk

Mini Gears (Stockport) Ltd

PRECISION ENGINEERING 8

JFL are broach and broaching specialists with amost 40 years personal experience. We offer a comprehensive broaching service covering keyways, squares, hexagons and special forms.

DAWSON PRECISION COMPONENTS Manufacturing precision machined components since 1965 Services include: CNC milling, CNC turning, turn/mill machining, sub contracted services, finishing and project management.

Greenfield Lane, Shaw, Oldham, Lancashire, OL2 8QP Tel: 01706 842311

dpc.co.uk

PRECISION ENGINEERING 8

JFL Broaches and Broaching

MACHINING (5 AXIS) 8

BROACHING 8

DIRECTORY | Engineering Capacity

5 High quality precision machined components 5 Trusted technical support service 5 Complete and bespoke service from conception to completion 5 AS9100D & ISO 9001:2015 approved Oldfield Street, Crosland Moor Huddersfield HD4 5AJ T: 01484 548903 www.thomas-brown-engineering.co.uk

Wealdpark Ltd CNC mill-turn facility using Star sliding head lathes with bar capacity up to 32mm diameter.

Miyano and Doosan fixed head lathes with bar capacity up to 65mm.

Hurco vertical machining centre.

Sutton Road, St. Helens Merseyside WA9 3DJ Tel: 01744 22567 www.wealdpark.co.uk

MARCH 2020

TURNED PARTS 8

SUBCONTRACT CNC TURNING 8

Subcontract mill turned parts up to 65mm in diameter from bar and 300mm billet work.

m

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Stainles s

Unit 1, Latimer Road Industrial Est, Latimer Road, Wokingham, Berkshire RG41 2YD Tel: 0118 978 6573 www.simpsonsprings.co.uk

MARCH 2020

Accredited to AS9100 Rev D

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tic

ity eering Capac TS | Engin COMPONEN MACHINED

ts g suppor Mill-turnin oach lean appr

year half of this In the first has committed to ing Roscomatic investment, includ More than Engineering of 1000 latest Capacity | £750,000 medium-size small to INDUSTRY ation of the axis NEWS the install (SMEs) have d manufacturers 1MSY multibeen given Miyano BNE-5 . business a centre boost turn-mill ing-based months thanks over the last ten company The Worth to a new £9.7m business machinist suppor million parts subcontract The Manufa t initiative. some 1.5 eted ches dispat Programme cturing Growth g from compl lies (MGP), funded ssemb a year – rangin European and sub-a Regional Develo by the assemblies ned castings and Fund (ERDF) pment to large machiparts – and is Economic and delivered by Growth Solutio small turned ing a record has helped achiev companies ns (EGS), 98%. currently the UK to across 13 mins to just ry rate of grow, Martello from on-time delive products and develop been cut new r complex director Joe is driven overcomemins. A furthe nent which ny Managing Keet says: the compa r Seanproduc tion ity 2.5 issues steel compo taking flexibil explains that of constant Cell Leade that ional sly previou weress stainle g ions phy of operat d us them holding by a philoso of lean manufacturin three operat reduced to a “The levels o BNE has hadback.

Thisenable has ning now developmentsupported by machialready led tominutes is in the Miyan reduce jobs, with new inute cycle. ent an additio 11 400, four-m cantly ing £1 techniques, signifi tant, nal to vestm exceed positio 359 ’ often most impornstivity.” expected to single return-on-in setters to investment and an ‘open-liaison times and be Further once -up l produc ongoinne year has s createdfrom freeing g project keeps the million a from the improve overalcomple machi are which comes y new tasks and ted.machi By thenes people strategto date on the He says the£1.6m end July, m other time for each up of grant ium of perfor existing 3-axis arising. ion of lost reducing the workforce replaced beenofmade, utions 10 alumincontrib reduct have and any issuesin tion, four family withedmoney errors We’ve company requir so that a to suppor first-off inspec reloca gottion “We invest ass. te in place andstill previouslyt anothe lot of grants He says: deliver a separa r 2200 firms parts that betwee to and we want risk of setting and the latest n and leadership nownow work in progre g operations beMarch 1MSY and which manuf automation cutting and manag logy turnin and Lorrain ion can techno of the BNE-5 s to come ge of ement, R&D, lean ityacturer le e Holmes, cycle.2019. operat and see production manufacturin it is capabforward The flexibil Chiefe me the shorta er, milling Execut how turn-milling s asthey productivity g, can take ed in oneive Officer its succes toadvant helps to overco require. Howev ofaverag that EGS, produc and capacit key is with three age explain is of would cuttingthe ed: “We are has systems and ve bonus at y, quality assista cycle pped we still need offer. nce skills we A massi part way above of single It’s never on targets tant that sly overla the we per times beenateasier, development.supply chain have set for the as the procesaneou it is so imporown engineers total cycle s isworkp proving that ourselves,tools simult quickiece and the Martin Coats, there is a rt and by to grow our ends oftacan bar up toscope of real appetit both suppor from SMEs nt suppo Operations be tailored our Director at and using e exact for time, to the through consta to maximise EGS, continu needs ofter. support that targeted business same in order the busine firms come so ed: “When diame can bar and training, help The main ss.” to them grow. 51 mm Manufa “The differen 15 kW vestment what eadcturing strategic reviewus they receive a Progra return-on-in we support and kW The fixed-h mme programme ce with our is 7.5Growth from one of was set MGMs that two-ax is that it is upwith our the void e and improve how customers.” to fill determ spindl by deliver both left manufacturin e, Manufa ines what by the o r to ed barriers are spindl Advicedary g experts we delive n to the new Miyan d in the way secon Service (MAS) understand s of 5,000 cturing support is and what the challen who y ordere In additio by tage of um speed advan providi needed to maximng companies ges access to ny has alread help them reach their are facing. specia in, have the assista the compa CNC sliding head listed potenti impos revs/m nce They understand to d / super “Since Octobe al. manufacturer the langua nes. The to synch ronisehelp two Citizen grow and ge improv12-station, s centre machi L20-VIII MDs are talking highest barrier r 2016, the l for both e. Ideal for turn-mill and can guide This contro is being with 15% . nes, a Citizenfrequency them on making was ‘Contin achieve ven turrets an 18-stro d through two machi low uous Improv of clients all-dring adecisions, before the right featuring network of followed by ement’, logy) and experie LFV (LFV bringin ‘Enviro techno 2017 specialists nced manuf BER ‘Marke nment cutting on specific g in acturin SEPTEM ting and Market al’ and growth manag vibration ange M16-V will bring g issues are facing 14. ers (MGM) Knowledge’ ations to they’re or opportunities they to industr top-of-the-r (12% each). y specialists , access Citizen install looking initial stage Once the and the opportunity the total has She continu to explore.” to we then bring been completed, ed: “1000 m average grant apply for an acity.co benefic ringcap of £1400, rising iaries is just works with in an expert who maximum the manag the start. www.enginee to a to £3,500 14 ement team address these Support can . be used for 8 manufacturin issues.”

SEPTEM BER 2017 programme.c ggrowth o.uk

Growth su helps 1000pport SMEs

With more than three decades of experience and dedication in producing the highest quality products, Grenville maintains its position as the leading precision sheet metal fabrication company.

Unit 3 Newfield Industrial Estate, High Street,Tunstall, Stoke-on-Trent ST6 5PD Tel: 01782 577 929 www.grenville-engineering.co.uk

www.engineerin gcapacity.com

TURNING (CNC) 8

Precision manufacturers of a wide range of compression tension and torsion springs. Also circlips, wireforms, contacts, antennas and light pressings. Quality approved to BS EN ISO 9001:2000.

A one-stop-shop for high-quality turned parts

Alloys per Su

Grenville Engineering (Stoke-on-Trent) Ltd

Simpson Springs & Pressings Ltd

Precision Products (Brighton) Ltd

Unit 2 Brookside Avenue, Rustington, West Sussex BN16 3LF Telephone: +44 (0) 1903 776 171 www.precisonproducts.co.uk

lu

SPRING MAKING 8

Kirkham Engineering Co Ltd 13 - CNC Sliding Heads up to 1”; 14 CNC Twin Turret Fixed Heads up to 65mm; 5 - Twin Turret Twin Spindle; 5 - Twin Turret with Sub-Spindle and 4 - Twin Turret; 4 - CNC Single Turret Fixed Heads up to 6” Billet.

Centreless Grinding & T/rolling. All materials - Stainless Steel; Nickel Alloys and other exotics a speciality.

Prestwood Place, East Pimbo, Skelmersdale, Lancashire WN8 9QE Tel: 01695 727401 www.kirkhamengineering.co.uk

–A

SHEET METAL WORKING 8

REPETITION TURNED PARTS 8

Engineering Capacity | DIRECTORY

5

Get your company noticed with an Engineering Capacity classified profile advert FOR MANUFACTURERS ABOUT SUBCONTRACTORS

September 2017

INDUSTRY NEWS | MACHINING | AUTOMOTIVE | SHOW PREVIEWS

Batchflow Engineering Ltd CNC turning capacity from 2mm200mm using high precision Fixed and Sliding Head CNC Lathes.

Experience in machining a range of materials, from Low to Medium volumes, to customers specifications.

Budbrooke Road, Warwick, Warwickshire CV34 5XH Tel: 01926 492889 www.batchflow.co.uk

MACHINED COMPONENTS: Prismatic parts from bar

www.engineeringcapacity.com

Call 01737 270648

www.engineeringcapacity.com

35

4 & 5 November 2020 | NEC, Birmingham

The UK’s largest annual gathering of engineering supply chain professionals

BOOK YOUR STAND 90%

of exhibitors met their objectives at Advanced Engineering

£130m

worth of sales generated at Advanced Engineering

70%

of visitors will place orders off the back of the show

Benefit from co-location with: AERO ENGINEERING

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BOOK YOUR STAND T: +44 (0)20 3196 4300 | E: aeuk@easyfairs.com www.advancedengineeringuk.com